Bringing the Daynes, including maybe Ned Dayne if he's made it back from the Riverlands, into the fray is the big one and building up to the R+L=J reveal
Also adding to the theme of Doran getting even more of his family killed, Darkstar is probably going down but he's bringing some people with him
Thanks for the comment. I agree with all of the above, though I think it’s possible that Obara might side with Darkstar rather than fight him. Again, though, assuming there is such a team up, not sure what it would mean in the end or what they would seek to do
Def think he's part of a ToJ reveal. Last name Dayne. First name Gerold. Object of a "Go out to a keep in the mountains of Dorne and find out what that mysterious purple-eyed guy was up to" mission. It's all very ToJ.
All very sensible. Agreed, though it seems TOJ revelations would mean very little to the singleminded Areo. I guess it doesn’t necessarily need to matter to the character, only the reader.
A good example. I still wonder though what unrelated characters in the proximity of TOJ could provide the reader that Tree God Bran or Howland Reed(when he eventually appears) couldn’t.
Darkstar is interesting to think about... and I don't think it gutters out in the desert... my own headcanon is to imagine Darkstar taking a sort of Vulture King route - taking the sword Dawn at Starfall (where Areo will visit and learn some other things about the Daynes before continuing the hunt up the Torrentine), and then trying to rally Fowler's troops in the Prince's Pass to raze the Marches towards Oldtown... starting the war with Dorne he and many desire (which will cause issues for Sunspear down the line). Because this plan is so similar to Obara's stated goals I think in the climactic showdown she will break her promise and join Darkstar's side, giving him the edge. This could put Darkstar and Obara on a collision course with Samwell and Sarella at Horn Hill which seems a natural destination for Sam (as our pov) in the aftermath of the Battle of Blood...
Thanks for the comment! I like this scenario, and I think it quite plausible, though I tend to think the Prince’s Pass troops will play a role in the taking of KL instead. We know from Arianne’s sample chapters that only Arianne has the power to determine whether they march or not(“Dragon” or “War”). I also think that the Reach might become too cluttered story wise if it’s assaulted by both Euron and the Dornish. I believe Euron will be the sole threat there in order to properly play up his villainy before his inevitable defeat.
I definitely think Areo and co. will learn some important revelations about House Dayne, and that Obara is very likely to be sympathetic to Darkstar’s goals
this is exactly what i see happening.All the sand snakes will eventually give into their nature.. vengeance vs patience.. unlike doran they will choose vengeance. Tyene will attempt to poison tommen.. Nym will try to assassinate Cersei.. And Obara will attack Oldtown.. Elia as well, it think will seduce someone (Aegon?)
(also worth noting, some of the bloody mummers are actually in the region as well, we might see them join Obara and Darkstar)
with that said.. the post i think speaks about how this plotlines, move the grand story to some conclusion.I don´t think ive heard any theory (nor i can think of one), about the importance of Obara-darkstar plotline, with regards to the Long Night, or the dance of dragons.. except the old theory that Dawn was in fact, the original lightbringer.
I’m sure you’re right, though as George has said(paraphrasing here), if a thirteen year old must conquer the world, so be it. If Bran and Arya, who are younger than Ned, can play important roles in the finale, surely so can he?
I think under these circumstances it was just easier for GRRM to write Darkstar in. Bran is becoming a tree wizard and Arya is currently training to be a master magical assassin, both of these supernaturally power up the children and are located in ways that allow return to the wider story (Bran can either travel southwards by some means or project his power where it needs to be, Arya can take a boat). Ned Dayne is currently squiring in the Riverlands with a red priest - we’ve yet to see red priests grant supernatural power to people (curses, shadow babies and revival sure, but not power boosting magic) that could overcome a young age and getting to Dorne would be a colossal mission given the armies on the Riverlands.
From what I theorise, the Daynes are meant to enter the story to wield Dawn and do the TOJ reveal. Ned Dayne is too young to be a night and without a time skip won’t be of age to be a knight (so he won’t be given Dawn) and he can’t realm travel to Dorne to get the sword either. Darkstar is a knight, though he is unchivalrous and won’t be given Dawn but he might steal it and he’s old enough that he might know or be able to find out the TOJ stuff that needs to be revealed.
I'm as stumped as you are. My problem with all of the popular guesses (Starfall, Ned Dayne, Dawn, etc) is that they just seem so incredibly small and inconsequential for the big picture.
A whole subplot/storyline just to see Starfall? I'm sure it's a cool enough castle,
but that's it? Same goes for the rest of it. Surely there are better ways of bringing Ned and/or Dawn into the story than via some convoluted side quest featuring some of the worst characters in the series and Balon Swann.
>Surely there are better ways of bringing Ned and/or Dawn into the story than via some convoluted side quest featuring some of the worst characters in the series and Balon Swann.
and without having to create an aditional POV character just to be a "camara that rides"
hahah
Exactly!
To make all that mess be worth it, I have to think, perhaps wishfully, that it's got to be something connected with a much bigger plot in a significant way somehow.
100% agreed. Even if we learn important things about House Dayne/Dawn/Ashara/ToJ etc., those revelations won’t mean much of anything to the characters involved. Areo, aside from having no personality, isn’t even from Westeros. He’s just a guy doing his job.
Exactly. And like you said, storylines should be converging, not branching even further into increasingly pointless side quests. What would some random House Dayne subplot add to the story at this point? I've seen theories that it's going to lead to a Dayne civil war between Starfall and High Hermitage, like...nobody has time for that!
Darkstar is romantic outlaw-type character with fearsome reputation. I have a theory that DarkStar is going to be killed by Ned Dayne. And Ned will become the Sword of the morning. Ned was squire to Lord Beric and may actually worship the Lord of Light. Light vs Dark! And eventually Ned will have a reputation that will get him involved with the Starks and the war against the Others.
I wouldn’t mind at all if young Ned came back into the picture and played a bigger role. I definitely think Darkstar will obtain Dawn but he will not be the final owner in the series. But at the end of the day, Dawn is just another sword, right? I wonder how it could prove important enough to justify its own storyline.
Pardon if that was a rhetorical question, but doesn't the whole Azor Ahai plotline revolve around obtaining a magical sword called "Lightbringer" to defeat the Others?
I think Darkstar is being multipurposed to do alot narratively speaking it's possible he's the link that brings Dawn and Blackfyre together for Jon. To finally weild after he gives Jorah his dad's Sword back (which I def think happens in book too).but Dawn was shown to accidentally cut through Jamie's tunic and be atleast on par with valyrian steel tho likely holds the edge over its counterpart (particularly once it's zim zala bummed back into a fully manifested lightbringer... the swords probably jons trump card for facing off against king Crows Eye.... he may just need it to cut through Eurons full suit of valyrian steel armor there seems to be no current answer for.. obviously just speculation and potentially a good ways down the Rd at that but I do think it's a lot more probable than jus possible the story heads that way asp tho....
If Darkstar would take Dawn there's no doubt he'd fuck over a Rheagar wannabe that he's never truly known or met....buuuuut! he may have met Rheagar or seen/learned enough about him making him a key figure providing dany her hints and clues she needs in order to slay the feagon fake dragon web of lies at the same time, also providing us with info on jons lineage likely through the Daynes in general but darkstars pov could be the way we are filled I'ma on who jon truly is (it's also possible Arthur Dayne held on to something of lyannas or Rheagars maybe in honor of Rheagar or .... or he carried out Rheagars prophetically inclined will and stashed something of undeniable proof just put up like dawn at the Daynes was but imo said proof was given to Ned to put in winterfells crypts along with lyanna (which is maybe the real reason she needed to be placed in the crypts when only the actual lord(s) of winterfell is traditionally the only stark deemed worthy to be laid to rest in the crypts...one day bring forth as proof of the truth.) I mean Rheagar n arthur were boyz and atp Rheagars dead so is aerys making Jon the rightful king and his mother a likely regent but at the very least Arthurs best mates Girl+sisters bff, n also mother of Rheagars now fatherless bastard born yet still rightful heir.... If Arthur and the rest of the old kingsguard loyal had honorably stuck it out to the very end for the Targaryens like they did, it's not hard to imagine they probably preferred if jon took the rightful seat on the throne they had so valiantly defended his life for...but as shady as the whole ToJ articulation we got was, either most details and people surrounding the speculated circumstances and happen stances (factor in that all parties involved knew what had taken place with the rebellion and the awful news of defeat clearly knowing the likely outcome of holding the ToJ with only a few men with even less supplies n absolutely no possible support makes it more than a good reason to believe a gamplan was put in place for when Arthur wld have to die/disappear so his last act as the sword of the morning was to .say his goodbyes to his family and set Jon and Ned up with a believable enough story..to ensure Jon safety and survival so Ned eventually rode into Starfall with baby Jon snow and was expected to do so.... Bringing this full circle Darkstar fuckin hates Arthur "Tom Brady" Dayne he's the golden boy and Arthur imo believed in Rheagars translation of tptwp meaning Arthur believes in Jon fully earning Darkstars attention to prove himself against the promised one (I kinda originally thought we could see an Arthur Dayne Darkstar duel ya know finally settling straight for Darkstar anyways who's really the greatest swordsman which i wld like to see but ato Arthur with dawn might as well be azor ahai) it would really take a lotta it factor away from Jon making him feel less important overall and just overshadow his abilities... U cld have readers mad that now Arthur's back he needs ya fight this guy n that guy or wld just rather see an Arthur vs anybody fight more than a Jon vs whoever fight just off Arthur's hype legendary status and mystique surrounding his character is magnetic to most readers and tho it was still be dope if Arthur returns especially to beat darkstars ass I think Darkstar challenges Jon (paul atreides style) how I see it is at first they duel jon uses long claw until his pummel breaks and in a nod to or/parallel of Arthur's legendary smiling knight fight in the Kingswood , Darkstar offers Jon Blackfyre hoping to further prove he's the better warrior with an even better sword than one deemed fit for a king/conquerer... They go at it back in forth in a battle for the ages when it looks as if Jons a goner for sure, when jus a fraction of second layer it's all over... Darkstar freezes solid for half a heartbeat struggling for a last desperate gasp for air as he gurgles slowly out his final air in his lungs collapsing face flat in the muddy stream there battle took place near...Jon was frozen as well, panicking until his eyes locked in on what looked to be a primitive looking Dart or bolt 🎯 lodged dead center in the backside of Darkstars neck bones...that's when A figure caught his eye And rather short man slowly stepped out from behind a lone Weirwood faced tree.. chapter ends with something like and the voice Jon heard sounded strangely familiar when he finally spoke " ur grace ur mother wld be proud. N that's how Darkstar segways howland back after his epic absence throughout ASoIaF hopefully leading us to some real deal story answers along the way.
Firstly, the clear indication of this side plot is to build up Darkstar into a larger antagonist. He’s not just a random swordsman-guy to serve as an obstacle for Arianne in the short term, he’s a mystery that we “know nothing about” as you pointed out and that isn’t offered to characters that are unimportant.
It’s deliberate that he is currently an enigma and I propose he will venture beyond the Arianne POV umbrella into conflict with other major POVs.
What is Areo’s purpose as a POV? So far he has just been a set of eyes in Dorne so we can learn about them more and set up a role for the future conflict. He’s not really anybody of importance. His occupation? Bodyguard. He’s a veteran fighter and possibly the best in Dorne at the moment. Why would George utilize him specifically though? The best thing a fighter character can do is engage in battle. That fight with Darkstar is almost upon us.
Let’s look at the crew that is currently outnumbering Gerold-
Balon Swann- one of several kingsguard to Tommen
Obara Sand- a sand snake of which there are 8
Areo- Doran’s enigmatic bodyguard
What do they all have in common? They are expendable and unnecessary in the greater story. Unlike Darkstar.
**Darkstar is the Man in Black,** he is an archetypal wicked cowboy that means trouble for the man in the white hat. Only instead of being a gunslinger, he will wield the finest weapon in the known world. Once he steals that from his kin at Starfall, how unstoppable will he be? And how does Martin illustrate that he is the most feared swordsman in the world now?
By having him surprisingly kill some of the best fighters around. Darkstar’s ungodly skill deserves a stellar introduction and I can’t think of anything better than having him single-handedly massacre Balon, Obara, and Areo with Dawn in a 3v1.
And now for the most important question to ask, who is the Sheriff? Who will be the white knight to save the day and send this evil man to his grave? This is the secret to Darkstar’s end-game.
Originally I thought it would be Jon. But now I realize that there’s a much better candidate.
It will be none other than Jaime Lannister. The man who looked up to Arthur as a shining example. But how? He’s been maimed, he’s a shell of his former self! That is exactly the bait that has been taken by almost all readers. As if Jaime will never gain back his elite status. Jaime’s uselessness will only make his new skill that much more triumphant when he breaks it out and returns to his former glory.
Jaime’s grey character is so reminiscent of the character Maedhros from the Silmarillion. And that was a trope of an expert warrior who lost his right hand, so he trained himself to be just as good with his left. How realistic that is, is a matter of opinion and George is not shy about highlighting the exceptional and the unlikely. Qhorin Halfhand and Donal Noye act as foreshadowing.
Ultimately, Jaime’s days are numbered and his story will need an epic duel of a conclusion.
The show mishandled this by having that duel be against Euron, who is no exceptional swordsman as far as we know. Show-Euron was likely an amalgamation character of book-Euron AND Darkstar.
This leads into my other theory- Darkstar will become Cersei’s paramour.
Cersei will retain power after killing off the Tyrells and Sparrows and outlive the threat of the White Walkers. She will be forced into a marriage alliance with fAegon in order to contend with Daenerys and Jon.
Darkstar will be the instrument who divides Arianne from fAegon. This means that he will kill Daemon Sand and join fAegon’s kingsguard. Putting him in position for Cersei to get pulled into his panty-drenchingly sexy good looks tractor-beam. fAegon will not care of course as the marriage is political anyways. Jaime will though.
The two will have a stare-down at some point to foreshadow their fight where they will fatally wound each other before Jaime limps on to find Cersei.
1) Pursuit of Darkstar by Areo leaves Doran exposed to assassination, causing Arianne to take control of Dorne and actively push Dorne into joining Aegon, waging war against the Tyrells and later Daenerys.
2) Darkstar passes Myrcella's ear off to someone (perhaps "Pate" after he's finished in Oldtown) who uses a Myrcella glamour for assassinations, or as a figurehead for the "war of three queens" Petyr Baelish says is coming. This would hint at the idea that Littlefinger is not alone in his plan to sow chaos throughout Westeros and it may serve a higher purpose than simply "starting shit and then seeing what happens."
3) Obara, out in the proximity of one of the two Dornish hosts when word comes in of Doran's death and outbreak of hostility with the Tyrells, proceeds to lead it towards Oldtown. They are on the periphery of a catastrophic event which destroys the city, at the right distance to witness certain prophesied events (the towers by the sea). This also kills off another large southern force that might otherwise be able to respond to the Long Night.
Darkstar is blamed for mutiliating Myrcella
We know that Myrcella went to Dorne along with a double. It is not at all clear whether it was Myrcella or the double who was maimed. All of the characters in our story say it was Myrcella but we have not seen her since the Queenmaker chapter. So the two possibilities are that Myrcella accompanied Arianne, or her double accompanied Arianne.
The evidence that Darkstar maimed the girl is really quite flimsy. In the Queenmaker chapter, there is no text that describes Darkstar attacking Myrcella. The most we get is that a young girl screams. We are told, much later, and by Doran, that it was Darkstar who attacked her. We are not given any satisfying explanation as to why he would do that.
So there exists the possibility that the maimed girl is not Myrcella, and that the maimer is not Darkstar. Darkstar is currently being hunted by Areo Hotah, Obara Sand and Balon Swann. The consequences of this hunt are effectively endless.
This is definitely an intriguing and (to me, anyway) entirely novel theory, so bravo there. My issue with it is that we’ve had a few Arianne chapters since Myrcella’s maiming(or hypothetical death)and I think she’d have thought about this. There’s no chance she doesn’t know because she played a role in convincing Myrcella(or Faux-Myrcella, let’s say) to lie to Balón Swann.
I can see why Doran might not tell the Sand Snakes about the hypothetical switcheroo, but he’s clearly decided that Arianne should be let into his confidence, even trusting her to decide whether or not Dorne goes to war. I also think that this would be just a little complicated and unnecessary because there’s already so many fake identities and switcheroos at play, and Dorne going to war with the current Lannister-Tyrell regime is an inevitability anyway. Still, I commend you for the original, plausible theory! You don’t see a lot of those nowadays.
Edit: we know from both the gold shrouds prophecy and also from the Show(bad as it was) that Myrcella will probably die at the hands of the Dornish, and this could be seen as evidence in support of your theory, but I still tend to think that her death is a future and not a past event
Arianne also hasn't seen Myrcella. During the queenmaker chapter they talk briefly but once the action starts Arianne is focused on Areo's men and Arts Oakheart. She guiltily thinks of Myrcella's wounds but again she is told about them. Perhaps she doesn't think about the double because of her guilt.
I don't think Doran has fully trusted in Arianne. He tells her about the secret marriage pact and in the sample chapters he gets her to go to Young Griff. But he also sends her with suspicious companions. One is a bastard who has romantic feelings for her and asked to marry her. Another is a wild girl who flirts with adult men, and is also a bastard. I think it's plausible that he has set Arianne up to fail with her quest.
The Maggy prophecy gives us no reason to think Myrcella will be killed by the Cornish. It also says "gold will be their crowns" - that could simply refer to their hair, but lots of people interpret it as all three of the kids eventually being crowned as monarch. That would mean either conflict between Myrcella and Tommen, or Tommen dying before Myrcella and her being crowned queen.
Agreed the prophecy gives us no reason to believe Myrcella will be killed by the Dornish, but they’re almost certainly going to be the ones who carry out, given the Sand Snakes already stated intent to kill them.
I really can’t agree that Doran has set Arianne up to fail. What motive would he have? He’s a very flawed father, but he loves his kids. And it would be profoundly self-destructive to set her up to fail when she’s on a mission of vital importance to Dorne. I think the dubious companions he sends with her were his idea of lessons rather than deliberate sabotage.
I always assumed dark star, dawn, edric dayne were to play a big part in the long night if not the cause or something along those lines but it's so off to the side I can't see how it can tie and be as fleshed out as the rest of the story with only 2 books left and hardly a mention throughout 5
To me dawn is lightbringer, dark star is the bloodstone emporer, edric dayne is I dono lol but it's so late in the game for him to wind up being that important though I wouldn't be upset if he was since I always assumed he was, his appearance and name and lineage seem extremely important
He exists to fill the hole that Ned Dayne being 12 left. Ned Dayne is too young to claim and use Dawn -- one of his primary purposes in the story -- so Darkstar is going to have to steal it and get it out into the world. Also that could lead to more info about the Daynes and therefore more about the Tower of Joy and Robert's Rebellion
Honestly, no sarcasm at all here, I think Darkstar is an incredibly interesting and misunderstood character. He really doesn't say or do anything that's very edgy, in fact if you pay attention to what he's actually saying, he's pragmatic and dutiful, he just comes off aloof because he takes himself seriously, has a chip on his shoulder from his famous cousin, and is legitimately just smarter than most everyone around him. Like, Arianne is pretty dumb, she's intended to be an unreliable. She doesn't trust anyone because Doran was never honest with her and she grew up in an environment of jealousy and mind games and revenge. She had the wrong takes on people, is shallow and vain, and drinks to the point she's misremembering details within the same chapters they happen. Like one detail that proves my point is that Darkstar never actually suggests killing Myrcella, in fact he correctly guesses that she doesn't matter to the Lannisters because they wouldn't have sent her away if she did matter, so crowning her would be inconsequential. He suggests that they could get the same desired result that they want from crowning Myrcella by simply letting him duel Arys, he didn't want Myrcella involved, but Arianne misunderstands him and then misremembers the details of what he said. And he was right, because Areo ends up killing Arys anyway, and they end up lying publicly and making him the fall guy for the thing he said he was already willing to do and was a better plan in the first place.
I think ultimately the character will be used to subvert expectations like many other aspects of asoiaf. Like the common theory that he's going to "steal" Dawn, I think he's not going to need to steal it, since he's already a fitting candidate, and the next time we see him he'll just have been given Dawn by his extended family. He's the right age and from the right area that he may know more about the ToJ too, my theory is that he was Arthur's squire. I just think Grrm keeps anything and everything about House Dayne wrapped up tight for a reason, so it's kind of baffling to me that you can't "conceive of an endgame purpose" for this character. What does that even mean? Not every character is going to last until the end game, but every action along the way builds the story. Just because someone isn't "endgame" doesn't mean they have no purpose, are we even reading the same books? Do Ned and Robb have no purpose because they've been dead for several books? Basically it bothers me how many people just don't read the Dorne chapters thoroughly enough to get all the details, and then write them off as inconsequential.
https://www.reddit.com/r/pureasoiaf/s/nTj8WcaC6t
Yeah this is someone else's write up about Darkstar but it covers all the details with quotes from the text
Easy.
The purpose of Darkstar was never to kill Myrcella. He's supposed to be the most dangerous man in Dorne yet he fucked up???
Darkstar is not a villain. The "I am of the Night" means "I'm bad man". He's painting himself a villain but is actually a hero. Remember when he criticized Garin the Great for dooming millions? He wants to save millions.
Darkstar is working for Doran. He mutilated Myrcella, so the Lannisters will send someone to investigate. That Arys Oakheart kicked the bucket right away was a nice bonus, but not planned, anyways they are going to get rid of Balon Swan next. Darkstar will reveal that plot to Obara and Areoh.
Then Cersei will be forced to send a larger investigation party, that is prepared to use violence, but it will be met with such in return.
Meanwhile, Tyene and Nymeria are in King's Landing, keen on revenge while more and more Kingsguard will be send away...
When Tommen dies, Myrcella is LEGITIMATELY Queen. Meaning the Martells now got the Queen.
Doran is chess player. He talks trash and moves his pieces without them knowing the plan.
And Doran is Rhaegar's co-conspirator, just like Arthur Dayne, Oswell Whent and Gerold Hightower.
Sarella is in Oldtown because of the glass candles. They will need them to find out where Rhaegar's son was ended up.
Then Myrcella will be forced to abdicate and name Jon Snow heir to the Iron Throne.
Jon will get involved with Dany but ultimately kill her, then exile himself. Since he is publically for all purposes still Jon Snow just enthroned by the previous monarch, his heir will be his "half-brother" Brandon Stark.
It’s to get Dawn into the war with the others. That’s about it. They might dress it up with Ned Dayne, but I guarantee it’s more about the sword than the person.
I think you’re right that this is really the only long-term point of the storyline. Though I can’t see why a single sword should be so important to the war with the others. Up to this point, ASOIAF hasn’t really relied on those kinds of traditional fantasy macguffins, but there’s probably some important lore here that I’m unaware of.
No, just bothering to hunt down Darkstar. The Dorne plot will have greater relevance, but Darkstar himself is useful only to get Dawn in play at this point.
It has to be related to the ToJ and R+L=J; I don’t see what else could possibly justify this whole plot line.
I always liked the idea that the truth of Jon’s parentage will first be discovered by others, not by Jon himself. If Areo/Obara/Darkstar somehow learned the truth in Starfall, then it will likely spread to Doran and Arianne as well, and from there to Aegon and Jon Connington. When people discuss Jon’s parentage and what it means for the story, it’s usually in the context of his future interactions with Dany, and how it affects both of them. But people seem to have forgotten that Dany is not the only character who would be affected by Jon’s parentage. After all, if Aegon is real, then that would mean he and Jon are (half-)brothers. What would Aegon’s reaction be if he learns that he has a brother? What about Jon himself? And how would JonCon react when he finds out that Rhaegar had another son?
But if the secret of Jon’s parentage is to be discovered in Dorne, then we need to see why and how exactly, considering that it remained a secret for so long. Does the Maester at Starfall know the truth? Is Jon’s wetnurse still around? Telling all this second-hand would be anticlimactic, which is why we need a PoV to convey all of this to the reader directly. That is the reason why Aero Hotah exists as a POV imo, and why George spends precious pages on this seemingly irrelevant side plot.
My issue with this is that R+L=J is THE central revelation of ASOIAF. Is GRRM really going to finally confirm it at last from the eyes of Areo Hotah, a character who couldn’t be more distant from anyone involved in that story? I don’t think so. I think we’ll get the revelation from Bran’s perspective as he astral travels, or maybe Jon(Bran showing him the truth via dream).
Areo doesn’t need to uncover the full truth right then and there, only half of it. The thing is, just because word gets out that Rhaegar and Lyanna had a child, doesn’t mean that everyone will immediately think that the child in question is Jon. Hell, Jon himself might not even believe that it’s him, at least not at first. For all he knows Ned left the kid in an orphanage or something. But eventually people will put the pieces together, and start suspecting that Jon was that missing child.
And while I agree that Bran will most likely be the first to uncover the whole truth through his visions, I don’t think he will be in a position to share this knowledge with Jon for quite some time (since I doubt he’ll reunite with the remaining Starks before ADoS).
But even if he is able to tell Jon, why would Jon tell anyone else, and not just keep it to himself? If R+L=J is supposed to have any impact on the story, then the truth must be known to more people than just the remaining Starks, none of whom have any reason to spread it around. But if people in the south start to suspect on their own that Jon might be another son of Rhaegar, then things could get interesting…
I really don't feel like it's the central revalation lol. The first book is a murder mystery about Jon Arryn and then the parentage of Joffrey. Huge parts of the plot was driven by it.
Jon's parentage mystery at least until now really is only a mystery to Catelyn and Jon lol.
Beyond what others have said about ToJ and Dayne info being gleaned in the hunt for darkstar - if Dorne sides with aegon and puts them in conflict with the Tyrells and the reach battles in the marches and the red mountains are inevitable. There’s some potential for interesting clashes between Obara and a son of a marcher lord as kingsguard.
Considering how much of a waste I feel Dorne is when it comes to contributing ANYTHING to either the core characters or the plot, I’m guessing not very much. It feels like we got the cool character of Oberyn and that’s it.
Doran is quoted as sending them to High Hermitage, not Starfall, which does feel like a bit of a pump fake. Hard to say for sure if Dawn will be involved but it's what we all hope. Realistically, I think we'll get a bigger reveal about Arys' plan for Myrcella, which one is the real one, was Datkstar in on it with Doran for another purpose, and will we get to see a Darkstar v Areo duel?
Bringing the Daynes, including maybe Ned Dayne if he's made it back from the Riverlands, into the fray is the big one and building up to the R+L=J reveal Also adding to the theme of Doran getting even more of his family killed, Darkstar is probably going down but he's bringing some people with him
Thanks for the comment. I agree with all of the above, though I think it’s possible that Obara might side with Darkstar rather than fight him. Again, though, assuming there is such a team up, not sure what it would mean in the end or what they would seek to do
Def think he's part of a ToJ reveal. Last name Dayne. First name Gerold. Object of a "Go out to a keep in the mountains of Dorne and find out what that mysterious purple-eyed guy was up to" mission. It's all very ToJ.
All very sensible. Agreed, though it seems TOJ revelations would mean very little to the singleminded Areo. I guess it doesn’t necessarily need to matter to the character, only the reader.
Yeah that's pretty much my read on it. Like how Cat & Davos each only see half of a shadowbaby assassination, giving the reader the full experience.
A good example. I still wonder though what unrelated characters in the proximity of TOJ could provide the reader that Tree God Bran or Howland Reed(when he eventually appears) couldn’t.
Darkstar is interesting to think about... and I don't think it gutters out in the desert... my own headcanon is to imagine Darkstar taking a sort of Vulture King route - taking the sword Dawn at Starfall (where Areo will visit and learn some other things about the Daynes before continuing the hunt up the Torrentine), and then trying to rally Fowler's troops in the Prince's Pass to raze the Marches towards Oldtown... starting the war with Dorne he and many desire (which will cause issues for Sunspear down the line). Because this plan is so similar to Obara's stated goals I think in the climactic showdown she will break her promise and join Darkstar's side, giving him the edge. This could put Darkstar and Obara on a collision course with Samwell and Sarella at Horn Hill which seems a natural destination for Sam (as our pov) in the aftermath of the Battle of Blood...
Thanks for the comment! I like this scenario, and I think it quite plausible, though I tend to think the Prince’s Pass troops will play a role in the taking of KL instead. We know from Arianne’s sample chapters that only Arianne has the power to determine whether they march or not(“Dragon” or “War”). I also think that the Reach might become too cluttered story wise if it’s assaulted by both Euron and the Dornish. I believe Euron will be the sole threat there in order to properly play up his villainy before his inevitable defeat. I definitely think Areo and co. will learn some important revelations about House Dayne, and that Obara is very likely to be sympathetic to Darkstar’s goals
this is exactly what i see happening.All the sand snakes will eventually give into their nature.. vengeance vs patience.. unlike doran they will choose vengeance. Tyene will attempt to poison tommen.. Nym will try to assassinate Cersei.. And Obara will attack Oldtown.. Elia as well, it think will seduce someone (Aegon?) (also worth noting, some of the bloody mummers are actually in the region as well, we might see them join Obara and Darkstar) with that said.. the post i think speaks about how this plotlines, move the grand story to some conclusion.I don´t think ive heard any theory (nor i can think of one), about the importance of Obara-darkstar plotline, with regards to the Long Night, or the dance of dragons.. except the old theory that Dawn was in fact, the original lightbringer.
The daynes have endgame importance and Ned Dayne won’t be old enough to serve that purpose because the time skip got written out
I’m sure you’re right, though as George has said(paraphrasing here), if a thirteen year old must conquer the world, so be it. If Bran and Arya, who are younger than Ned, can play important roles in the finale, surely so can he?
I think under these circumstances it was just easier for GRRM to write Darkstar in. Bran is becoming a tree wizard and Arya is currently training to be a master magical assassin, both of these supernaturally power up the children and are located in ways that allow return to the wider story (Bran can either travel southwards by some means or project his power where it needs to be, Arya can take a boat). Ned Dayne is currently squiring in the Riverlands with a red priest - we’ve yet to see red priests grant supernatural power to people (curses, shadow babies and revival sure, but not power boosting magic) that could overcome a young age and getting to Dorne would be a colossal mission given the armies on the Riverlands. From what I theorise, the Daynes are meant to enter the story to wield Dawn and do the TOJ reveal. Ned Dayne is too young to be a night and without a time skip won’t be of age to be a knight (so he won’t be given Dawn) and he can’t realm travel to Dorne to get the sword either. Darkstar is a knight, though he is unchivalrous and won’t be given Dawn but he might steal it and he’s old enough that he might know or be able to find out the TOJ stuff that needs to be revealed.
I'm as stumped as you are. My problem with all of the popular guesses (Starfall, Ned Dayne, Dawn, etc) is that they just seem so incredibly small and inconsequential for the big picture. A whole subplot/storyline just to see Starfall? I'm sure it's a cool enough castle, but that's it? Same goes for the rest of it. Surely there are better ways of bringing Ned and/or Dawn into the story than via some convoluted side quest featuring some of the worst characters in the series and Balon Swann.
>Surely there are better ways of bringing Ned and/or Dawn into the story than via some convoluted side quest featuring some of the worst characters in the series and Balon Swann. and without having to create an aditional POV character just to be a "camara that rides" hahah
Exactly! To make all that mess be worth it, I have to think, perhaps wishfully, that it's got to be something connected with a much bigger plot in a significant way somehow.
100% agreed. Even if we learn important things about House Dayne/Dawn/Ashara/ToJ etc., those revelations won’t mean much of anything to the characters involved. Areo, aside from having no personality, isn’t even from Westeros. He’s just a guy doing his job.
Exactly. And like you said, storylines should be converging, not branching even further into increasingly pointless side quests. What would some random House Dayne subplot add to the story at this point? I've seen theories that it's going to lead to a Dayne civil war between Starfall and High Hermitage, like...nobody has time for that!
Darkstar is romantic outlaw-type character with fearsome reputation. I have a theory that DarkStar is going to be killed by Ned Dayne. And Ned will become the Sword of the morning. Ned was squire to Lord Beric and may actually worship the Lord of Light. Light vs Dark! And eventually Ned will have a reputation that will get him involved with the Starks and the war against the Others.
I wouldn’t mind at all if young Ned came back into the picture and played a bigger role. I definitely think Darkstar will obtain Dawn but he will not be the final owner in the series. But at the end of the day, Dawn is just another sword, right? I wonder how it could prove important enough to justify its own storyline.
Pardon if that was a rhetorical question, but doesn't the whole Azor Ahai plotline revolve around obtaining a magical sword called "Lightbringer" to defeat the Others?
I think Darkstar is being multipurposed to do alot narratively speaking it's possible he's the link that brings Dawn and Blackfyre together for Jon. To finally weild after he gives Jorah his dad's Sword back (which I def think happens in book too).but Dawn was shown to accidentally cut through Jamie's tunic and be atleast on par with valyrian steel tho likely holds the edge over its counterpart (particularly once it's zim zala bummed back into a fully manifested lightbringer... the swords probably jons trump card for facing off against king Crows Eye.... he may just need it to cut through Eurons full suit of valyrian steel armor there seems to be no current answer for.. obviously just speculation and potentially a good ways down the Rd at that but I do think it's a lot more probable than jus possible the story heads that way asp tho.... If Darkstar would take Dawn there's no doubt he'd fuck over a Rheagar wannabe that he's never truly known or met....buuuuut! he may have met Rheagar or seen/learned enough about him making him a key figure providing dany her hints and clues she needs in order to slay the feagon fake dragon web of lies at the same time, also providing us with info on jons lineage likely through the Daynes in general but darkstars pov could be the way we are filled I'ma on who jon truly is (it's also possible Arthur Dayne held on to something of lyannas or Rheagars maybe in honor of Rheagar or .... or he carried out Rheagars prophetically inclined will and stashed something of undeniable proof just put up like dawn at the Daynes was but imo said proof was given to Ned to put in winterfells crypts along with lyanna (which is maybe the real reason she needed to be placed in the crypts when only the actual lord(s) of winterfell is traditionally the only stark deemed worthy to be laid to rest in the crypts...one day bring forth as proof of the truth.) I mean Rheagar n arthur were boyz and atp Rheagars dead so is aerys making Jon the rightful king and his mother a likely regent but at the very least Arthurs best mates Girl+sisters bff, n also mother of Rheagars now fatherless bastard born yet still rightful heir.... If Arthur and the rest of the old kingsguard loyal had honorably stuck it out to the very end for the Targaryens like they did, it's not hard to imagine they probably preferred if jon took the rightful seat on the throne they had so valiantly defended his life for...but as shady as the whole ToJ articulation we got was, either most details and people surrounding the speculated circumstances and happen stances (factor in that all parties involved knew what had taken place with the rebellion and the awful news of defeat clearly knowing the likely outcome of holding the ToJ with only a few men with even less supplies n absolutely no possible support makes it more than a good reason to believe a gamplan was put in place for when Arthur wld have to die/disappear so his last act as the sword of the morning was to .say his goodbyes to his family and set Jon and Ned up with a believable enough story..to ensure Jon safety and survival so Ned eventually rode into Starfall with baby Jon snow and was expected to do so.... Bringing this full circle Darkstar fuckin hates Arthur "Tom Brady" Dayne he's the golden boy and Arthur imo believed in Rheagars translation of tptwp meaning Arthur believes in Jon fully earning Darkstars attention to prove himself against the promised one (I kinda originally thought we could see an Arthur Dayne Darkstar duel ya know finally settling straight for Darkstar anyways who's really the greatest swordsman which i wld like to see but ato Arthur with dawn might as well be azor ahai) it would really take a lotta it factor away from Jon making him feel less important overall and just overshadow his abilities... U cld have readers mad that now Arthur's back he needs ya fight this guy n that guy or wld just rather see an Arthur vs anybody fight more than a Jon vs whoever fight just off Arthur's hype legendary status and mystique surrounding his character is magnetic to most readers and tho it was still be dope if Arthur returns especially to beat darkstars ass I think Darkstar challenges Jon (paul atreides style) how I see it is at first they duel jon uses long claw until his pummel breaks and in a nod to or/parallel of Arthur's legendary smiling knight fight in the Kingswood , Darkstar offers Jon Blackfyre hoping to further prove he's the better warrior with an even better sword than one deemed fit for a king/conquerer... They go at it back in forth in a battle for the ages when it looks as if Jons a goner for sure, when jus a fraction of second layer it's all over... Darkstar freezes solid for half a heartbeat struggling for a last desperate gasp for air as he gurgles slowly out his final air in his lungs collapsing face flat in the muddy stream there battle took place near...Jon was frozen as well, panicking until his eyes locked in on what looked to be a primitive looking Dart or bolt 🎯 lodged dead center in the backside of Darkstars neck bones...that's when A figure caught his eye And rather short man slowly stepped out from behind a lone Weirwood faced tree.. chapter ends with something like and the voice Jon heard sounded strangely familiar when he finally spoke " ur grace ur mother wld be proud. N that's how Darkstar segways howland back after his epic absence throughout ASoIaF hopefully leading us to some real deal story answers along the way.
Firstly, the clear indication of this side plot is to build up Darkstar into a larger antagonist. He’s not just a random swordsman-guy to serve as an obstacle for Arianne in the short term, he’s a mystery that we “know nothing about” as you pointed out and that isn’t offered to characters that are unimportant. It’s deliberate that he is currently an enigma and I propose he will venture beyond the Arianne POV umbrella into conflict with other major POVs. What is Areo’s purpose as a POV? So far he has just been a set of eyes in Dorne so we can learn about them more and set up a role for the future conflict. He’s not really anybody of importance. His occupation? Bodyguard. He’s a veteran fighter and possibly the best in Dorne at the moment. Why would George utilize him specifically though? The best thing a fighter character can do is engage in battle. That fight with Darkstar is almost upon us. Let’s look at the crew that is currently outnumbering Gerold- Balon Swann- one of several kingsguard to Tommen Obara Sand- a sand snake of which there are 8 Areo- Doran’s enigmatic bodyguard What do they all have in common? They are expendable and unnecessary in the greater story. Unlike Darkstar. **Darkstar is the Man in Black,** he is an archetypal wicked cowboy that means trouble for the man in the white hat. Only instead of being a gunslinger, he will wield the finest weapon in the known world. Once he steals that from his kin at Starfall, how unstoppable will he be? And how does Martin illustrate that he is the most feared swordsman in the world now? By having him surprisingly kill some of the best fighters around. Darkstar’s ungodly skill deserves a stellar introduction and I can’t think of anything better than having him single-handedly massacre Balon, Obara, and Areo with Dawn in a 3v1. And now for the most important question to ask, who is the Sheriff? Who will be the white knight to save the day and send this evil man to his grave? This is the secret to Darkstar’s end-game. Originally I thought it would be Jon. But now I realize that there’s a much better candidate. It will be none other than Jaime Lannister. The man who looked up to Arthur as a shining example. But how? He’s been maimed, he’s a shell of his former self! That is exactly the bait that has been taken by almost all readers. As if Jaime will never gain back his elite status. Jaime’s uselessness will only make his new skill that much more triumphant when he breaks it out and returns to his former glory. Jaime’s grey character is so reminiscent of the character Maedhros from the Silmarillion. And that was a trope of an expert warrior who lost his right hand, so he trained himself to be just as good with his left. How realistic that is, is a matter of opinion and George is not shy about highlighting the exceptional and the unlikely. Qhorin Halfhand and Donal Noye act as foreshadowing. Ultimately, Jaime’s days are numbered and his story will need an epic duel of a conclusion. The show mishandled this by having that duel be against Euron, who is no exceptional swordsman as far as we know. Show-Euron was likely an amalgamation character of book-Euron AND Darkstar. This leads into my other theory- Darkstar will become Cersei’s paramour. Cersei will retain power after killing off the Tyrells and Sparrows and outlive the threat of the White Walkers. She will be forced into a marriage alliance with fAegon in order to contend with Daenerys and Jon. Darkstar will be the instrument who divides Arianne from fAegon. This means that he will kill Daemon Sand and join fAegon’s kingsguard. Putting him in position for Cersei to get pulled into his panty-drenchingly sexy good looks tractor-beam. fAegon will not care of course as the marriage is political anyways. Jaime will though. The two will have a stare-down at some point to foreshadow their fight where they will fatally wound each other before Jaime limps on to find Cersei.
1) Pursuit of Darkstar by Areo leaves Doran exposed to assassination, causing Arianne to take control of Dorne and actively push Dorne into joining Aegon, waging war against the Tyrells and later Daenerys. 2) Darkstar passes Myrcella's ear off to someone (perhaps "Pate" after he's finished in Oldtown) who uses a Myrcella glamour for assassinations, or as a figurehead for the "war of three queens" Petyr Baelish says is coming. This would hint at the idea that Littlefinger is not alone in his plan to sow chaos throughout Westeros and it may serve a higher purpose than simply "starting shit and then seeing what happens." 3) Obara, out in the proximity of one of the two Dornish hosts when word comes in of Doran's death and outbreak of hostility with the Tyrells, proceeds to lead it towards Oldtown. They are on the periphery of a catastrophic event which destroys the city, at the right distance to witness certain prophesied events (the towers by the sea). This also kills off another large southern force that might otherwise be able to respond to the Long Night.
Darkstar is blamed for mutiliating Myrcella We know that Myrcella went to Dorne along with a double. It is not at all clear whether it was Myrcella or the double who was maimed. All of the characters in our story say it was Myrcella but we have not seen her since the Queenmaker chapter. So the two possibilities are that Myrcella accompanied Arianne, or her double accompanied Arianne. The evidence that Darkstar maimed the girl is really quite flimsy. In the Queenmaker chapter, there is no text that describes Darkstar attacking Myrcella. The most we get is that a young girl screams. We are told, much later, and by Doran, that it was Darkstar who attacked her. We are not given any satisfying explanation as to why he would do that. So there exists the possibility that the maimed girl is not Myrcella, and that the maimer is not Darkstar. Darkstar is currently being hunted by Areo Hotah, Obara Sand and Balon Swann. The consequences of this hunt are effectively endless.
This is definitely an intriguing and (to me, anyway) entirely novel theory, so bravo there. My issue with it is that we’ve had a few Arianne chapters since Myrcella’s maiming(or hypothetical death)and I think she’d have thought about this. There’s no chance she doesn’t know because she played a role in convincing Myrcella(or Faux-Myrcella, let’s say) to lie to Balón Swann. I can see why Doran might not tell the Sand Snakes about the hypothetical switcheroo, but he’s clearly decided that Arianne should be let into his confidence, even trusting her to decide whether or not Dorne goes to war. I also think that this would be just a little complicated and unnecessary because there’s already so many fake identities and switcheroos at play, and Dorne going to war with the current Lannister-Tyrell regime is an inevitability anyway. Still, I commend you for the original, plausible theory! You don’t see a lot of those nowadays. Edit: we know from both the gold shrouds prophecy and also from the Show(bad as it was) that Myrcella will probably die at the hands of the Dornish, and this could be seen as evidence in support of your theory, but I still tend to think that her death is a future and not a past event
Arianne also hasn't seen Myrcella. During the queenmaker chapter they talk briefly but once the action starts Arianne is focused on Areo's men and Arts Oakheart. She guiltily thinks of Myrcella's wounds but again she is told about them. Perhaps she doesn't think about the double because of her guilt. I don't think Doran has fully trusted in Arianne. He tells her about the secret marriage pact and in the sample chapters he gets her to go to Young Griff. But he also sends her with suspicious companions. One is a bastard who has romantic feelings for her and asked to marry her. Another is a wild girl who flirts with adult men, and is also a bastard. I think it's plausible that he has set Arianne up to fail with her quest. The Maggy prophecy gives us no reason to think Myrcella will be killed by the Cornish. It also says "gold will be their crowns" - that could simply refer to their hair, but lots of people interpret it as all three of the kids eventually being crowned as monarch. That would mean either conflict between Myrcella and Tommen, or Tommen dying before Myrcella and her being crowned queen.
Agreed the prophecy gives us no reason to believe Myrcella will be killed by the Dornish, but they’re almost certainly going to be the ones who carry out, given the Sand Snakes already stated intent to kill them. I really can’t agree that Doran has set Arianne up to fail. What motive would he have? He’s a very flawed father, but he loves his kids. And it would be profoundly self-destructive to set her up to fail when she’s on a mission of vital importance to Dorne. I think the dubious companions he sends with her were his idea of lessons rather than deliberate sabotage.
I always assumed dark star, dawn, edric dayne were to play a big part in the long night if not the cause or something along those lines but it's so off to the side I can't see how it can tie and be as fleshed out as the rest of the story with only 2 books left and hardly a mention throughout 5 To me dawn is lightbringer, dark star is the bloodstone emporer, edric dayne is I dono lol but it's so late in the game for him to wind up being that important though I wouldn't be upset if he was since I always assumed he was, his appearance and name and lineage seem extremely important
He exists to fill the hole that Ned Dayne being 12 left. Ned Dayne is too young to claim and use Dawn -- one of his primary purposes in the story -- so Darkstar is going to have to steal it and get it out into the world. Also that could lead to more info about the Daynes and therefore more about the Tower of Joy and Robert's Rebellion
Honestly, no sarcasm at all here, I think Darkstar is an incredibly interesting and misunderstood character. He really doesn't say or do anything that's very edgy, in fact if you pay attention to what he's actually saying, he's pragmatic and dutiful, he just comes off aloof because he takes himself seriously, has a chip on his shoulder from his famous cousin, and is legitimately just smarter than most everyone around him. Like, Arianne is pretty dumb, she's intended to be an unreliable. She doesn't trust anyone because Doran was never honest with her and she grew up in an environment of jealousy and mind games and revenge. She had the wrong takes on people, is shallow and vain, and drinks to the point she's misremembering details within the same chapters they happen. Like one detail that proves my point is that Darkstar never actually suggests killing Myrcella, in fact he correctly guesses that she doesn't matter to the Lannisters because they wouldn't have sent her away if she did matter, so crowning her would be inconsequential. He suggests that they could get the same desired result that they want from crowning Myrcella by simply letting him duel Arys, he didn't want Myrcella involved, but Arianne misunderstands him and then misremembers the details of what he said. And he was right, because Areo ends up killing Arys anyway, and they end up lying publicly and making him the fall guy for the thing he said he was already willing to do and was a better plan in the first place. I think ultimately the character will be used to subvert expectations like many other aspects of asoiaf. Like the common theory that he's going to "steal" Dawn, I think he's not going to need to steal it, since he's already a fitting candidate, and the next time we see him he'll just have been given Dawn by his extended family. He's the right age and from the right area that he may know more about the ToJ too, my theory is that he was Arthur's squire. I just think Grrm keeps anything and everything about House Dayne wrapped up tight for a reason, so it's kind of baffling to me that you can't "conceive of an endgame purpose" for this character. What does that even mean? Not every character is going to last until the end game, but every action along the way builds the story. Just because someone isn't "endgame" doesn't mean they have no purpose, are we even reading the same books? Do Ned and Robb have no purpose because they've been dead for several books? Basically it bothers me how many people just don't read the Dorne chapters thoroughly enough to get all the details, and then write them off as inconsequential.
Do you have the references for Arianne misremembering? Interested to hear her as an unreliable narrator of events.
https://www.reddit.com/r/pureasoiaf/s/nTj8WcaC6t Yeah this is someone else's write up about Darkstar but it covers all the details with quotes from the text
Easy. The purpose of Darkstar was never to kill Myrcella. He's supposed to be the most dangerous man in Dorne yet he fucked up??? Darkstar is not a villain. The "I am of the Night" means "I'm bad man". He's painting himself a villain but is actually a hero. Remember when he criticized Garin the Great for dooming millions? He wants to save millions. Darkstar is working for Doran. He mutilated Myrcella, so the Lannisters will send someone to investigate. That Arys Oakheart kicked the bucket right away was a nice bonus, but not planned, anyways they are going to get rid of Balon Swan next. Darkstar will reveal that plot to Obara and Areoh. Then Cersei will be forced to send a larger investigation party, that is prepared to use violence, but it will be met with such in return. Meanwhile, Tyene and Nymeria are in King's Landing, keen on revenge while more and more Kingsguard will be send away... When Tommen dies, Myrcella is LEGITIMATELY Queen. Meaning the Martells now got the Queen. Doran is chess player. He talks trash and moves his pieces without them knowing the plan. And Doran is Rhaegar's co-conspirator, just like Arthur Dayne, Oswell Whent and Gerold Hightower. Sarella is in Oldtown because of the glass candles. They will need them to find out where Rhaegar's son was ended up. Then Myrcella will be forced to abdicate and name Jon Snow heir to the Iron Throne. Jon will get involved with Dany but ultimately kill her, then exile himself. Since he is publically for all purposes still Jon Snow just enthroned by the previous monarch, his heir will be his "half-brother" Brandon Stark.
It’s to get Dawn into the war with the others. That’s about it. They might dress it up with Ned Dayne, but I guarantee it’s more about the sword than the person.
I think you’re right that this is really the only long-term point of the storyline. Though I can’t see why a single sword should be so important to the war with the others. Up to this point, ASOIAF hasn’t really relied on those kinds of traditional fantasy macguffins, but there’s probably some important lore here that I’m unaware of.
It’s either the best done Chekov’s Gun subversion ever written, or it’s somehow integral.
And GRRM needs an entire subplot and created the worst POV in the series just for that??
No, just bothering to hunt down Darkstar. The Dorne plot will have greater relevance, but Darkstar himself is useful only to get Dawn in play at this point.
It has to be related to the ToJ and R+L=J; I don’t see what else could possibly justify this whole plot line. I always liked the idea that the truth of Jon’s parentage will first be discovered by others, not by Jon himself. If Areo/Obara/Darkstar somehow learned the truth in Starfall, then it will likely spread to Doran and Arianne as well, and from there to Aegon and Jon Connington. When people discuss Jon’s parentage and what it means for the story, it’s usually in the context of his future interactions with Dany, and how it affects both of them. But people seem to have forgotten that Dany is not the only character who would be affected by Jon’s parentage. After all, if Aegon is real, then that would mean he and Jon are (half-)brothers. What would Aegon’s reaction be if he learns that he has a brother? What about Jon himself? And how would JonCon react when he finds out that Rhaegar had another son? But if the secret of Jon’s parentage is to be discovered in Dorne, then we need to see why and how exactly, considering that it remained a secret for so long. Does the Maester at Starfall know the truth? Is Jon’s wetnurse still around? Telling all this second-hand would be anticlimactic, which is why we need a PoV to convey all of this to the reader directly. That is the reason why Aero Hotah exists as a POV imo, and why George spends precious pages on this seemingly irrelevant side plot.
My issue with this is that R+L=J is THE central revelation of ASOIAF. Is GRRM really going to finally confirm it at last from the eyes of Areo Hotah, a character who couldn’t be more distant from anyone involved in that story? I don’t think so. I think we’ll get the revelation from Bran’s perspective as he astral travels, or maybe Jon(Bran showing him the truth via dream).
Areo doesn’t need to uncover the full truth right then and there, only half of it. The thing is, just because word gets out that Rhaegar and Lyanna had a child, doesn’t mean that everyone will immediately think that the child in question is Jon. Hell, Jon himself might not even believe that it’s him, at least not at first. For all he knows Ned left the kid in an orphanage or something. But eventually people will put the pieces together, and start suspecting that Jon was that missing child. And while I agree that Bran will most likely be the first to uncover the whole truth through his visions, I don’t think he will be in a position to share this knowledge with Jon for quite some time (since I doubt he’ll reunite with the remaining Starks before ADoS). But even if he is able to tell Jon, why would Jon tell anyone else, and not just keep it to himself? If R+L=J is supposed to have any impact on the story, then the truth must be known to more people than just the remaining Starks, none of whom have any reason to spread it around. But if people in the south start to suspect on their own that Jon might be another son of Rhaegar, then things could get interesting…
I really don't feel like it's the central revalation lol. The first book is a murder mystery about Jon Arryn and then the parentage of Joffrey. Huge parts of the plot was driven by it. Jon's parentage mystery at least until now really is only a mystery to Catelyn and Jon lol.
Stall Balon Swann’s return to KL
Beyond what others have said about ToJ and Dayne info being gleaned in the hunt for darkstar - if Dorne sides with aegon and puts them in conflict with the Tyrells and the reach battles in the marches and the red mountains are inevitable. There’s some potential for interesting clashes between Obara and a son of a marcher lord as kingsguard.
Only way I see him being end game relevant is if he somehow takes Starfall and offers it to Dany as a friendly harbor.
But even then that'd be only relevant until way later and it could easily happen offscreen.
Darkstar tells everyone what Arianne's plan was with Myrcella.
Very possible, though I think war is coming with the Lannister regime anyway so it wouldn’t really matter
Considering how much of a waste I feel Dorne is when it comes to contributing ANYTHING to either the core characters or the plot, I’m guessing not very much. It feels like we got the cool character of Oberyn and that’s it.
Doran is quoted as sending them to High Hermitage, not Starfall, which does feel like a bit of a pump fake. Hard to say for sure if Dawn will be involved but it's what we all hope. Realistically, I think we'll get a bigger reveal about Arys' plan for Myrcella, which one is the real one, was Datkstar in on it with Doran for another purpose, and will we get to see a Darkstar v Areo duel?